There is a saying “When in Rome, do as the Romans do”. This means that you have to adapt to the surroundings you are in. And when you are in Bangkok, you should definitely be shopping. Bangkok is famous for its cheap markets that let you shop more for lesser. If you are there in Bangkok only for a short stint of time you gotta know the places before you could shop so that you can spare some time. So here are some places where you could find everything that satisfies you the best.

Chatuchak (Weekend) Market:

Chatuchak market is build upon a 27 acre land. This market contains 27 different sections comprising of nearly 8000 stalls. The market attracts nearly 200,000 people on Saturdays and Sundays; out of which 70% of them are foreign. The market is open on sat & Sundays from 9am – 6pm. However the flower stalls are available even on Friday from 6pm to midnight. The shops contain clothing, home decorative things, handicrafts, dolls, perfumes, beverages, furniture’s, jewellery and much more.  This market is also a place where you can bargain over goods and let your bargaining skills to do the talking. Always carry a backpack when you decide to shop in the chatuchak market. Also carry lots of cash because it is difficult to find an atm out there.

Pantip Plaza:

Pantip plaza is the largest IT mall in the whole of Bangkok, Thailand. It is famous for its counterfeit softwares and cd’s. If you are an electronic gadget freak then this is the place that you should visit. You have hardware parts, mobile phones, mp3 players and many other electronic accessories. Try to bargain on the products. If it doesn’t work then ask for a freebie. The one thing that you should be aware of while purchasing in Pantip plaza is that check if the product is working properly and then proceed with the purchase. It is also good to be accompanied by a friend who knows some trusted dealers out there. The plaza is open from 10am – 9pm.

MBK Shopping center (Mahboonkrong):

MBK is one big mall out there in Bangkok. It is a massive eight floored building comprising of nearly 2000 shops attracting over 100,000 out there daily. It was actually the largest mall in Asia when it got opened back in 1985. Floors 1,2 and 3 contain clothing, shoes, leather goods, cosmetics, hairstyle products and toys. The fourth floor contains electronic products, mobile phone, cd’s and mp3 players. The fifth floor contains restaurant, computing and furniture sections. The sixth floor contains food court and souvenir shops. The final two floor screen movies and also has a snow bowling court. The first three floors actually offer a good discount of 30-50%. The mall is open from morning ten o’clock to evening ten.

Pratunam Market:

Pratunam market is a large shopping market in Bangkok that sells clothes, shoes and other fashion accessories at a wholesale price. The market is always busy with people buzzing around the stalls. This place depicts the atmosphere that used to prevail even before the advent of air conditioning systems. It is always exciting to shop in this kind of atmosphere. The products are sold at such cheaper rates that would make bargaining to look like a deadly sin. So avoid bargaining here. The products here are priced in such a way that even lower middle class people can afford it. The market is open 24*7.

Platinum Fashion Mall:

This is biggest fashion mall in Bangkok. It is just a structured version of the chatuchak market housing nearly 1800 shops which are purely dedicated to fashion and accessories. The clothes are usually priced at a retail rate when you buy them as a single piece. However when you get clothes in bunch then you get to buy them at a wholesale price; offering you 10-30% discount. So the simple rule that you need to follow while purchasing in this mall is that get clothing’s in a large scale. The mall functions from 10am – 10pm every day.

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